Resolutions of the 2019 session of the 51st Synod Resolutions of the 2019 session of the 51st Synod 1/19 Ordinary sessions of Synod held in September Synod encourages the next Archbishop to summon members to ordinary sessions of Synod held in the final weeks of School Term 3, rather than the first weeks of School Term 4, from 2021. (Canon Phillip Colgan 14/10/2019) 2/19 Steps to encourage ordination Synod, noting the report ‘11/18 Steps to encourage ordination’ – encourages rectors to – encourages assistant ministers to see Christian leadership is marked by sacrificial service and if suitably gifted, be prepared to seek ordination to serve as rectors, encourages MTC and YWC to keep equipping men and women for the work of the gospel and address the cost of theological education, encourages Ministry Training & Development (MT&D) and MTC to – encourages congregations to – (The Rev Dr Mark Thompson 14/10/2019) 3/19 Implementation of recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Synod noting the report 43/18 Implementation of Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – endorses implementation of the Royal Commission's Child Safe Standards by all institutions of the Diocese of Sydney that have contact with children in conducting their operations, requests the Standing Committee to provide a report to the next session of the Synod in relation to implementation of the actions set out in the report, and pending Standing Committee’s report to Synod in 2020 (and except as otherwise addressed at the 2019 session of Synod) – (Ms Michelle England 14/10/2019) Resolutions of the 2019 session of the 51st Synod 4/19 Staff management training Synod – notes that while many rectors have participated in staff management training, the majority have not; encourages rectors who have not already done so, to participate in staff management training as a matter of urgency; requests the Safe Ministry Board, regularly include items relating to staff management in the content for the mandated triennial Faithfulness in Ministry training, noting that the 2020 Faithfulness in Ministry training will focus on staff management, and bullying in particular; requests Ministry Training and Development to include appropriate training on the Ordinances relevant to Assistant Ministers as part of the post-ordination Ministry Development program for deacons; recommends to the Archbishop that licences for Assistant Ministers, issued at the request of a rector, have an option for a specified term, with the minimum term being two years; and requests the Ministry Standards Ordinance Review Committee to further review the Ministry Standards Ordinance 2017, particularly as it pertains to accusations of bullying, to ensure that rector development or other measures, are recommended prior to more serious action. (Bishop Chris Edwards 14/10/2019) 5/19 Amendment to the Property Use Policy Synod agrees to amend its Property Use Policy by inserting the following as a new paragraph 10(a) – ‘This policy is not intended to require a withdrawal from, or the exclusion of, those who do not share our doctrines, tenets and beliefs. Rather, we should welcome to our properties those who do not share our doctrines, tenets and beliefs, to the fullest extent possible, yet in a way that does not cause our doctrines, tenets and beliefs to be contravened or compromised. The mere presence of those who do not share our beliefs or the mere expression of beliefs we do not share, will not contravene this policy. However allowing our property to be used for the promotion or propagation of such beliefs does. For example, it does not contravene our doctrines, tenets and beliefs for a resident of an Anglican retirement village who is an adherent of another faith to practise their faith in the privacy of their own residence, but it would be a contravention if the retirement village were to allow a service of public worship for those of that faith to be held.’ (Bishop Michael Stead 14/10/2019) 6/19 The nature of marriage Synod welcomes the Doctrine Commission’s report The Implications of Domestic Abuse for Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage and commends it to ministers and parishes for their careful consideration. (The Rev Dr Mark Thompson 14/10/2019) 7/19 ‘An Introduction to Teaching in an Anglican School’ Synod welcomes a new online course designed and developed by Anglican Education Commission (EdComm) entitled ‘An Introduction to Teaching in an Anglican School’, and notes that – the course was designed to assist teachers who are new to an Anglican school to reflect on and consider how they can best participate in and support the Christian foundations and ministry of the particular school they are joining, the course is accredited as 10 hours of professional learning by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority, to date 109 teachers and chaplains have enrolled in the course, the course was funded by the Synod, Anglican Schools that subscribe to EdComm and the Genesis Charitable Foundation, and Resolutions of the 2019 session of the 51st Synod development of a more generic course ‘An Introduction to Teaching in a Christian School’ should be completed later this year. (Dr John Collier 14/10/2019) 8/19 Induction into administrative requirements for new rectors Synod requests Standing Committee to investigate and implement routine measures that will enable new rectors to be better and formally inducted into the range of administration requirements for rectors and parishes. (The Rev Mike Begbie 14/10/2019) 9/19 30th Anniversary of women ordained as deacons in the Diocese of Sydney Synod, noting the 30th anniversary of women ordained as deacons in the Diocese – gives thanks to God for the ministries of women in the Diocese, both ordained and lay, gives thanks to God for the long history of gospel partnership between women and men in this Diocese, praises God for the multitude of opportunities women have to exercise their teaching and pastoral gifts, commends churches, schools and diocesan organisations employing women for ministry roles, and asks God to continue to raise up women for gospel ministry, whether full-time or part-time, so every parish may have theologically trained women on their staff team. (Archdeacon Kara Hartley 14/10/2019) 10/19 Mrs Margaret Fuller Synod expresses its profound thanks to Ms Margaret Fuller for her 23 years of faithful and diligent serving as a Contact Person for the Professional Standards Unit. In this role Margaret has tirelessly provided care, outstanding support and wise advice to complainants. As well as her Professional Standard’s responsibility, over the last 40 years Margaret has provided advice and counsel to many in Parish ministry across the Diocese. As Margaret retires from her PSU work, Synod prays for continued health as she involves herself in many other ministry areas, especially at St Mark’s West Wollongong. (Bishop Peter Hayward 14/10/2019) 11/19 Authorised Lay Ministers Synod – gives thanks to God for the heritage of significant lay participation and lay ministry in our Diocese, affirms the appropriate employment of Authorised Lay Ministers as one expression of promoting lay ministry in our parishes, notes the Anglican Church of Australia Constitution Act 1961, as a Fundamental Declaration, commits the Church to “preserve the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons” in the ministry, and requests the Standing Committee appoint a taskforce of six persons, three ordained and three lay, with power to co-opt, to – Resolutions of the 2019 session of the 51st Synod (The Rev Scott Newling 14/10/2019) 12/19 The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand In light of the May 2018 decision of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia to pass a resolution that authorises bishops to allow clergy in New Zealand to bless same- sex relationships, this Synod – gives thanks to God for – commits to pray – encourages parishes within the Diocese of Sydney, as practical expressions of our fellowship in the gospel and a recognition of our full fellowship with the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand as an authentically Anglican and biblically faithful Church, to generously support them though prayer, financial support and ministry partnership. (Dean Kanishka Raffel 14/10/2019) 13/19 Amendment to the Governance Policy for Diocesan Organisations Synod agrees to amend its Governance Policy for Diocesan Organisations by omitting paragraph 37 in the Policy Guidelines in Appendix 2 and inserting instead the following – ‘37. The diocesan organisation should comply with all applicable ordinances and policies of the Synod (as amended from time to time) including, as applicable – (a) the Investment of Church Trust Property Ordinance 1990, (b) the Accounts, Audits and Annual Reports Ordinance 1995, (c) the Anglican Schools Ministry Ordinance 2016, and (d) the Sydney Anglican Use of Property Ordinance 2018, and (e) the Safe Ministry to Children Ordinance 2018.’ (Bishop Michael Stead 15/10/2019) 14/19 Freedom of Religion Synod welcomes the Federal Government’s proposed Religious Discrimination Bill as an important first step towards protecting the right of all Australians to hold and manifest religious beliefs, but expresses grave concerns about a number of drafting issues in the Exposure Draft of the Bill which profoundly threaten the Christian mission and purpose of Anglican religious institutions, including – Resolutions